Printing mechanism for tabulating machines



1936. R. DUNCAN ET AL 2,059,216

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR TABULATING MACHINES Original Filed Nov. 12, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZSnnentor EDGE/P7 DUNC'FN LEJTF/P E WILKINS Nov. 3, 1936. R. DUNCAN ET AL 2,059,216

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR TABULATING MACHINES Original Filed Nov. 12, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nventors 4; IPOBEIET DUNCFN 1. rs r51? {-7 Wu. lf/NSON (Ittorneg Nov. 3, 1936.

R. DUNCAN ET AL PRINTING MECHANISM FOR TABULATING MACHINES Original Filed Nov. 12, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i6 x). 128 130 I ELY/anions. 1605567 Dwvcm/ Hit'orneg Patented Nov. 3, 1936 lJNlTED STATES PATENT ,orrlca 1 2,059,216 PRINTING DIECHANISM FOE TABULATING MACHINES Robert Duncan, Washington, D. 0., and Lester F.

L Wilkinson, Garrett Park, Md., asslgnors to the Government of The United States, represented by the Secretary of Commerce 4 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 157) The invention described herein may be manufactured-and used by or for the Government of simple, durable and compact mechanism wherein the hammers are operated by impact simulta- =neously, upon all numerals from which it is. de-

sired to print, of the various numeral wheels, to print upon a suitable sheet inhorizontal alinement, and in suitable columns, the totals of the counters, immediately previous to the resetting operations of such machines.

Another object is to provide a simple and emcient paper feed operated from the same shaft that operates the printing hammers, and the provision of simple means for holding inoperative certain hammers not needed in a particular tabulating. operation as is the casewhere, for

instance, only when certain columns of a card are being tabulated and where it is not desirable to have certain hammers make impact with the numeral wheels that have been idle throughout the particular run of cards. 1

In the drawings .illustrating the invention-' Figure 1 is a side view of a tabulating machine to which the printing mechanism is attached, partly in section and partly broken away, and looking at the left side of the machine.

Figure 2 is a side view of the front portion of the machine, showing some of the parts in elevation and others in section, the side plates being removed.

Figure 3 is a view substantially like Figure 2,

some of the parts being differently positioned.

Figure 4.- is a detail side'view and partial section of a 'cam'and clutch disk mechanism illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, looking in the direction of the arrows 2-w of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the paper tension roll and shaft.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of a device for rendering the printing hammers inoperative.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly 'Figures 2 and 3, A represents generally, the base of the tabulating machine formed with oppositely the catch serving to hold the dog tooth out of the disposed generally parallel side/plates B. Mounted upon the base A and at the forward end of the machine are two side platesC, in which the numeral wheels and various other elements are mounted, many of which do not concern the 6 present invention. As intimated, there are two of these plates, one on each side of the machine, save that theseplates carry means cooperating with certain latches carried by the printing I mechanism housing, and whereby said housing 10 is normally latched to the plates, as will appear. The letter D designates a housing formed with two side plates D. This housing is formed with two rearwardly extending ears E through which, and across the entire front" of the machine extends a normally nonarotating'power shaft I, and upon which the housing pivots in its movement to and from the frameg The shaft has bearings inthe side fiange'sBand may have as additional support any suitable number of hangers 2 'se-- cured to the under side of the base A. r

Keyed to the shaft l is an eccentric 3 surrounded by an eccentric strap 4 integral with which is an arm 5 to which is pivoted at 5' a dog 6, havingan angular tooth 1 at one end and a 25 shoulder 8 at the other. The tooth 1 is arranged to enter one or another of the angular notches 9 in the clutch disk 10, loosely mounted on the shaft I and having integral therewith or fast thereto a sprocket wheel 10' by which, and a suitable sprocket chain leading to a power supply, the clutch disk is constantly driven. The shoulder 8 of the dog 6 is normally engaged by the catch I l of a lever 12 pivoted at l3 on the base plate A,

notches until such time as the lever l2 is manually rocked to release the dog. A spring 14 seated in a recess 1 4' in the base A keeps the latch end of the lever'in the path of the movement of the dog, and a button 15 is provided on the lever .40 for conveniently manually manipulating it at such times as it is desired to release the dog. The dog is carried by the arm 5 of. the eccentric, but the clutch disk is loose on the shaft and is preferably, as intimated, constantly rotated, and at all times ready to pick up the shaft and carry it around for one complete revolution, which occurs when Dartsto a stand-still. 55

The tooth on the dog and the notch in the disk are angular and fit each other nicely. It will be observed that the shape of the dog tooth and the shape of the notches in the clutch disk is such that when the tooth is forced into a notch at the beginning of a revolution, there is a positive start at a definite point, with no possibility of a rebound or of lost motion, as would likely occur where the clutch member is a true ratchet, wherewith it is usually necessary to provide additional elements to assure a definite starting point, and the shapes of the catch I l and the dog 6 are such that when a revolution is completed there can be no overthrow in the direction of revolution of the parts.

The shaft l carries a sprocket l1, and a similar sprocket I8 is mounted on the printing cam shaft it, which shaft is mounted in suitable bearings in the side plates of the housing. A sprocket chain l9 gears these two shafts together, and the arrangement is such that both shafts revolve at the same rate and at the same time, each making one complete revolution. with the other in the operation of printing and resetting, as described in the application of which this is a divi- S1011- Mounted on the shaft ID, at one side of the machine, is an eccentric 20 that operates within a slightly elongated opening 2! in a forward extension 22 of the paper feed roll operating arm 23. The lower end of this arm is slotted as indicated at 24 for the passage of a headed screw 25 mounted in one of the side plates of the housing, the arrangement being such that the arm 23 can have a slight combined vertical and rocking movement that it must have under the influence of the movement of the eccentric 20, as will appear. The upper end of this arm extends through a narrow elongated slot 26 in a cross-piece 21 between the plates of the housing, there being room enough in the slot to permit the slight rocking movement of the arm and at the same time limit any lateral movement of the arm. A shoulder 28 is provided at the upper end of the arm and is in engagement with the toothed wheel 29 on the end of the paper roll 30, which is mounted on shaft 3|, which shaft is mounted in the housing side plates (Figure 1), the shaft being provided with a knob 32 for rotating the paper roll by hand. About midway of the arm 23 and pivoted thereto at 33 is a pawl 34 whose upper end is kept constantly in engagement with a ratchet 35 fast to a shaft 36 mounted in bearings in brackets (not shown) suspended at intervals from the cross-piece 21, the ratchet being held against retrograde movement by a fiat spring 31, fastened to a cross-piece 38 extending between, and suitably fastened to the side plates of the housing. This pawl and ratchet mechanism has to do with the ribbon shift mechanism, which is the subject-matter of. Patent No. 2,041,637, granted May 19, 1936.

Mounted on the shaft i9 is the printing cam 39 which extends practically for the entire width of the machine and is provided with a sharp drop 40. Riding on the periphery of this cam is the lower end of a short arm 4| of the printing hammer 42 mounted on shaft 43- which also extends practically for the full width of the machine, for the mounting of all of the other hammers, it being understood that there are numerous hammers, one for each numeral wheel assembly, each hammer being provided with a faced head 44 for making impact with the numerals on the numeral wheel 45 through the paper 44 and the ribbon 41, the latter being suitably fed from spools mounted in the housing. The hammer 42 is provided with a forwardly extending arm 44 to which a spring 49 is attached and which keeps the arm 4| always in contact with the periphery of the cam 39, the non-printing position of the hammer being shown in Figures 2 and 3.

A shaft 50 is mounted in the side plates of the housing and extends entirely across the housing and has loosely mounted thereon adjacent each housing side plate, a. sleeve 5|, best shown in Figure 5, the sleeve being provided with a recess 52 which is slightly longer than the width of a lug or projection 53 which works in said recess, and which is integral with a collar 54 secured to the shaft 50 by a set screw 55. Lateral movement of this sleeve is limited in one direction by the collar 54, and in the other by a narrow permanent collar 56 on the shaft. Preferably integral with the sleeve 5| is a short bifurcated arm I1 in which is journaled a roller 58 which bears with proper tension against the paper roll on the roller or platen 29.

Mounted on this same shaft that carries the tension rollers and fast thereto, one on each side of the machine, and outside the housing plates, are latches 59 whose forward ends catch over studs 60 on the side plates C of the tabulating machine frame. At its forward end the latch is provided with a lateral extension or thumb piece by which the front end of the latch can be conveniently depressed to unlatch the housing from the machine frame and permit it to be swung on its pivot which, as stated, is the power shaft l. Under the forward end and in contact with each latch is a spring-backed plunger 6| which works in a barrel 82, the purpose being to keep the latches normally in position to snap over their respective studs 60 automatically when the housing is brought to latched position. It is sometimes desirable to rotate the paper roll otherwise than by the movement of arm 23, and to aid in this operation is a flat-sided cam 62 loosely mounted on a shaft 64 provided outside the housing plate with a handle (Figure 1) by which the cam may be conveniently rocked to rock the arm 23 forward slightly, or enough to disengage the shoulder head 28 from a tooth of the ratchet wheel on the paper roll, and permit the roll to be manually rotated freely in either direction.

The numeral 68 designates a sprocket which is rigidly fastened to the inside of one of the rearwardly extending ears of the housing. This sprocket loosely surrounds the power shaft l and is entirely independent of the movements of the shaft. Fast to one of the teeth of the sprocket is one end of a sprocket chain 61, the other end of which is connected at 68 to the forward end of a rod 69 supported in brackets 10 and II depending from the under side of the base A of the machine. An adiustable collar 12 is provided on the rod between the brackets, and surrounding the rod and interposed between said collar and the bracket II, is a coiled spring 13, the arrangement being obviously such that the housing is rocked away from the machine frame against the compression of the spring, and returned to normal position aided by its expansion, thus balancing the housing and its contained mechanism. The forward movement of the rod 69 is limited by an adjustable collar 14 similar to the collar 12.

It is not desirable at all times to permit all the hammers to operate, as in cases where all the numeral wheels are not being used, and, to 76 hold any one or a number of hammersout of action, we have provided the retaining device indicated by the numeral 15 (Figures 2 and 6).

This device fits on the cross-piece 38 and is slidable laterally thereon, being held to the piece by friction. It is formed at its'upper end with a' short laterally-extending flange I5 and is positioned to overhang the front end of the forwardly extending arm 48 of any hammer that is to be rendered inactive, and when not required it may be slid out of the way of all hammers. This device may be made any suitable width to adapt it to control any number of hammers.

In operating the printing mechanism to make a print, the button I5 is pressed, rocking the lever l2, releasing the dog 6, which is connected with the eccentric 3, letting the spring l6 force the dog tooth into a notch 9 in the clutch disk, and the disk constantly rotating, will pick up the eccentric which is fast to the shaft I, and the dog also, and cause them to make one revolution together. When the revolution is completed, the shoulder of the dog will be again engaged by the catch of the lever l2, lifting the dog tooth out of the notch in the disk and arresting the movement of the shaft and all the parts carried thereby. By reason of the sprocket and-chain connection between the shafts l and IS, the latter will be caused to make a single revolution with the shaft I, and in thesame time.

The printing cam 39 revolves in direction of the arrow, ancLwhen the arm ll of the hammer drops into the deep portion or drop of the cam, the strong spring 49 will impel the hammer against the paper and ribbon to make a print from whatever character that is at the printing point on the numeral wheel. When the arm 4| leaves the drop and rides on the outer periphery of the cam, the hammer head will be moved from its non-printing position or to that shown in full lines in Figures 2 and 3. movement of the hammer is very quick due to the steepness of the drop and the strength of the spring 49. (Figure 3) of the drop indicate the position of the cam and the arm 4| just before the parts have been set into motion, and immediately thereafter, the space between the dotted lines showing the short distance that the cam travels in making a print.

During the rotation of the shafts l and I9, and the first part of the rotation of the eccentric 20, which is fast to the shaft 19, it will lift the operating arm 23 and cause the shoulder on its head 28 to be disengaged from the occupied tooth on the paper roll ratchet and engage the next highest tooth, and the final portion of that the paper feed movement takes place immediately after the print.

The mechanism carried particularly by the shaft I, and the manually operated lever for The The two short dotted lines a controlling the dog 8, are instrumental in the resetting of the numeral wheels after the printing operation, and the elements and their movements are so shaped and timed that the printing operation is completed during the initial movements of'the parts,to be followed immediately thereafter by the movements necessary to zeroize or reset all the numeral whee1s,all as fully explained in the application of which this is a division.

We claim:

1. In a printing mechanism for a tabulating machine, in combination, a normally non-rotating power shaft, a continuously rotating clutch member loosely mounted on said shaft, means for clutching said member to the shaft for a single revolution, a housing mounted adjacent the power shaft, a second shaft mounted in the housing and geared to the power shaft for simultaneous rotation therewith, a cam fast to the second shaft for controlling the movements of a printing hammer, a spring-impelled printing hammer pivoted in the housing and having an arm normally in engagement with said cam, and another arm extending forwardly from said hammer, and laterally adjustable means carried by the housing and arranged to engage said forwardly extending hammer arm to hold the other arm of the hammer out of engagement with the cam, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a printing mechanism for a tabulating machine, in combination, a normally non-rotating power shaft, acontinuously rotating clutch member loosely mounted on said shaft, means for clutching said member to the shaft for a single revolution, a housing mounted adjacent the. power shaft, a second shaft mounted in the housing and geared to the power shaft for simultaneous rotation therewith, a printing hammercontrollingcam, and a paper roll operating cam fast on the second shaft, a pivoted hammer having a. portion in engagement with the hammercontrolling cam, a paper roll, a paper roll operating arm having a portion in engagement with the paper roll, and a portion in engagement with the paper roll operating cam, said cams being so shaped and timed as to operate the printing hammer and the paper roll operating arm successively.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 2, ch acterized in that the paper roll is formed with a ratchet on one end, and the paper roll operating armhas a. shouldered head in engagement with said ratchet, and has a rearward extension near its lower end provided with a slot which embraces its operating cam, whereby to impart up-and-down movement of said arm.

4. The invention as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the laterally adjustable means for holding the printing hammer out of engagement with its cam, consists of a device secured to a front cross-piece on the housing, and having a flange arranged to overlie the forwardly extending arm of the hammer.

ROBERT DUNCAN. LESTER F. WILKINSON. 

